Inking device for the form cylinders of gravure printing presses

ABSTRACT

This invention provides an inking device for the form cylinder of a gravure printing press. The inking device comprises an inking roller immersed in an ink trough which is provided with means for adjustment. The inking device is adjustable to provide a contact pressure resulting in a thin, uniform layer of ink being supplied to the entire surface of the form cylinder.

United States Patent 3,595,168

[72] Inventors KarlAJflingler; 1,548,700 8/1925 Zahn 101/207 Rudolf Frey. both of Frankenthal, Pfalz. 1,617,878 2/ 1927 Swanson 101/350 Germany 1,812,720 6/1931 Schultz 101/148 [21} AppLNo. 757,042 1,858,909 5/1932 Trist 101/147 [22] Filed Sept. 3,1968 1,995,701 3/1935 Buttner 101/350 [45] Patented July 27, 1971 2,310,788 2/1943 Hummelchen 101/350 [73] Assignee Schnellpresseniabrik Frankenthal Albert & 2,320,698 6/1943 Drake 101 I363 Ck Aktkngesellschah 2,519,229 8/1950 Crafts 101/350 FrankentahI-Pfa1z,Germany 2,855,844 10/1958 Stewart 101/351 X [32] Priority Aug.3l, 1967 1,170,841 2/1916 Muller 101/351 X [331 Germany 2,267,892 12/1941 Bamford 101/157 [31] Pl6ll286.0

Primary Examiner- Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-C. Coughenour [s41 mrcmc DEVICE FOR rm; FORM CYLINDERS or Rmeha Mama GRAVURE PRINTING PRESSES 4 Claims, Drawing Fig.

[S2] U.S.Cl Nil/350, 101/350 [511 Int-Cl. B4lf3l/32 [50] Field 0i Search 101/350, ABSTRACT: This invention Provides an i i device for the 330107; 148; 1 18/258; form cylinder of a gravure printing press. The inking device 7 117/111 comprises an inking roller immersed in an ink trough which is provided with means for adjustment. The inking device is ad- [56] References Cned justable to. provide a contact pressure resulting in a thin, UNITED STATES PATENTS uniform layer ofink being supplied to the entire surface of the 831,744 9/1906 Rehiinghaus 101/350 X form cylinder.

PATENTEDJULZTIQH 3,595,15

lnventom KARL A. KL/NGLER 90001.; F46) zyw INKING DEVICE FOR THE FORM CYLINDERS OF GRAVURE PRINTING PRESSES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an inking device for the form cylinder used in gravure printing presses which is wiped by a doctor blade. The inking device includes an inking roller immersed in an ink trough.

Inking devices of the type disclosed in this invention are generally known in the prior art. The surface of such prior art inking rollers is smooth. Such prior art inking devices are equipped with their own rotary drives. Several disadvantages are attendant these well-known prior art inking devices. The prior art inking roller feed an excessive amount of ink to the form cylinders of the particular printing presses. In addition, a uniform application of ink over the entire surface of the form cylinder is not absolutely guaranteed. This lack of guarantee is due to several factors which include the running speed of the printing presses, position of the inking roller with respect to the form cylinder, and the relative peripheral speeds of the inking roller and form cylinder. The ultimate application of the ink onto the form cylinder is thereby dependent upon the operating skill of the attending personnel.

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION The primary object of this invention is to overcome the disadvantages attendant similar prior art inking devices.

Another object of this invention is to provide an inking device for a form cylinder of a gravure printing press which will provide a thin, uniform layer ofink over the entire surface ofthe form cylinder.

Another object of this invention is to provide an inking device which will reduce the amount of surplus ink applied to the form cylinder ofa gravure printing press.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an ink roller having such a construction as to substantially eliminate the amount of slip between the said roller and the form cylinder surface.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device which may be adjusted to apply a predetermined amount of contact pressure between the ink roller of the inking device and the form cylinder of the printing press.

Another object of this invention is to provide a surface on the ink roller which will spread ink into the ink cells of the form cylinder and thereby provide a uniformity of inking across the surface of the said cylinder. 1

An object of the invention is to provide an ink roller covered with a fabric which holds a larger amount ofink than roller heretofore known in the prior art to thereby substantially eliminate the danger of having ink dry while on the said ink roller and thereby provide a smooth inking roller for the application ofink onto a form cylinder ofa printing press. I

A still further object of this invention is to provide an inking device that is not equipped with its own rotary drive and thereby requires adjustment of only the contact pressure by the operating personnel.

Another advantage of the inking device of this invention is that a large amount of technical equipment of is not needed for the use of the said device. For example, it ispossible that the roller fabric may be placed onto the roller in the form ofa seamless hose which is sized in accordance with the diameter ofthe said inking roller.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inking device of this invention includes an ink roller mounted in a tilting ink trough. The ink roller is mounted in the said ink trough by a spring means. The contact pressure exerted between the said ink roller and the form cylinder of the printing press may be increased or decreased by changing the degree of tilting ofthe ink trough. lt is possible through the use of the inking device of this invention to run the printing press with very small amounts of ink. In this way, losses due to evaporation are kept very low. 4

A further embodiment of this invention keeps the amount of the inking roller surface enclosed by the ink trough at a very small amount. In another embodiment, the ink trough of the inking device of this invention may be mounted inside an ink container having a larger size and a recirculation system. At the same time. the said ink trough maybe equipped with an ink inlet and ink outlet overflow means. The overflow of ink will pass into the larger ink containerand be recirculated into the system to thereby attain obvious advantages over the wellknown prior art inking devices.

A further advantage of the use of the inking device of this invention is that it may be used to provide an illustration which requires a very small portion of the form cylinder to be colored. For example, if only one letter of the respective page needs to be printed in a specific color, only a minimum quantity of ink is required to accomplish this desired result, The use of the inking device in this manner eliminates the necessity of circulating a large amount of ink for such a situation as is required in prior art inking devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Other object of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the various corresponding parts discussed in the specification.

In the accompanying drawing, the sole FIG. shows a crosssectional view of an inking device made in accordance with this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT More specifically, a gravure rotary printing press is shown having a form cylinder 1. At the lower portionof the form cylinder 1 is an inking roller 2 having its entire surface covered with a plushlike fabric 10. The particular composition of the fabric does not constitute a specific limitation with regard to the overall invention. The roller 2is spring supported in an ink trough 3. Opposite ends of shaft 11 are rotatably mounted in supports 12, one of which is see in dotted lines in the drawing. One end of each support 12 is pivotally mounted at 13 on plate 14 secured to the end of trough 3. The opposite end of the support 12 isresiliently held by coil spring 15 supported on plate 16 also secured to the end of the trough 3. The length of the roller 2 is such that it projects slightly beyond the edge of the form cylinder 1. The structure of the form cylinder 1 with respect to the inking roller 2 renders impossible the formation of an ink wedge therebetween. The ink trough 3 is filled with ink 8 by way of the pipe 4 and secondary pipes 5 which branch off from the said pipe 4. The secondary pipes 5 swing around the axis of the primary pipe 4 in this specific em bodiment. The secondary pipes 5 thereby act as swinging arms for trough 3. The pipes 5 may be adjusted to various positions by means of the lever 6 and 7 so that an overflow of ink 8 is maintained at the opposite side of the ink trough 3. The excessive flow of ink 8 empties into the ink container 9. The ink container 9 is ofa size sufficient to accommodate the overflow ink and includes a recirculating system. The overflow ink is circulated by pump P through conduit 17 from ink container 9 to pipe 4. Additional ink is fed into the recirculating system from reservoir R as required to replace ink used during printing. When the position of the ink trough 3 is adjusted by way of lever 6 and rod 7, the contact pressure between the inking roller 2 and the lower portion of the form cylinder 1 is effected. In this manner, the adjustment of the contact pressure between the inking roller 2 and the form cylinder 1 is very easily accomplished. The contact pressure between the inking roller 2 and the form cylinder 1 is effective to cover the said cylinder 1 with a thin, uniform layer of ink 8. Any surplus of ink 8 is scraped off in the usual way by means of a doctor blade (not shown). The use ofa doctor blade for wiping excess ink off the entire surface of a form cylinder 1 is well known in the prior art.

While the device for inking the form cylinder of a gravure printing press has been shown and described in detail, it is obvious that this invention is not to be considered as being limited to the exact form disclosed, and that changes in detail and construction may be made therein within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

We claim:

1. An inking device for the form cylinder ofa gravure printing press comprising, in combination:

a. an inking roller juxtaposed to said form cylinder and including a covering constructed to maintain an adequate amount of ink therein to apply to said form cylinder without drying up,

b. ink trough means including spring means mounting said inking roller therein and including ink inlet means and an ink overflow outlet.

c. an overflow container beneath said ink trough means, and

. means causing the application of pressure between said inking roller and form cylinder to rotate said inking roller and apply ink in a substantially uniform manner, said pressure causing means comprising lever means connected to said ink trough means for tilting said trough means, said lever means including swinging arms attached to said trough means and carrying means for supplying ink form an ink source to said inlet means.

2. An inking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said ink source is an ink supply pipe extending parallel to said trough means and is located above said overflow container, and

said lever means operates about the axis of said ink supply pipe.

3. An inking device as defined in claim 2 wherein said ink overflow container includes a means for recirculating said ink back through the inking device.

4. An inking device as defined in claim 3 wherein said inking roller covering is either a plushlike fabric or a netlike fabric. 

1. An inking device for the form cylinder of a gravure printing press comprising, in combination: a. an inking roller juxtaposed to said form cylinder and including a covering constructed to maintain an adequate amount of ink therein to apply to said form cylinder without drying up, b. ink trough means including spring means mounting said inking roller therein and including ink inlet means and an ink overflow outlet, c. an overflow container beneath said ink trough means, and d. means causing the application of pressure between said inking roller and form cylinder to rotate said inking roller and apply ink in a substantially uniform manner, said pressure causing means comprising lever means connected to said ink trough means for tilting said trough means, said lever means including swinging arms attached to said trough means and carrying means for supplying ink form an ink source to said inlet means.
 2. An inking device as defined in claim 1 wherein said ink source is an ink supply pipe extending parallel to said trough means and is located above said overflow container, and said lever means operates about the axis of said ink supply pipe.
 3. An inking device as defined in claim 2 wherein said ink overflow container includes a means for recirculating said ink back through the inking device.
 4. An inking device as defined in claim 3 wherein said inking roller covering is either a plushlike fabric or a netlike fabric. 